Queer theory has been a key player on the academic scene for over ten years and looks
set to continue for many years to come. The aim of this paper is to present an
overview of the key elements that shape this body of work and to point to its
potential usefulness for group analysis. Some of the influences in the emergence of
queer theory will be discussed followed by some prominent critiques centering around
queer theory’s link with practice, the commodification of
‘queerness’ and its implications for diversity. Queer theory
poses some important questions about the status of gender/sexuality categories and,
in particular, throws into focus the relational constitution of identities, that
could, potentially, be used in tandem with other critical theories, in the arena of
group analysis.
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